Terret.



Patented Apr. 24, |900. H. LEEPER.

T E R R ET (Applicatiun mea oct. 27, 1899.)

(Nd Model.)

UNITED y STATES PATENT Enron.

HENRY LEEPER, OF CANTON, ILLINOIS.

TERRET..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,973, dated April 24, 1900.v Application led October 27, 1899. Serial No. 734,972. NO model.)

To @ZZ whom zit may concern:

ABe it known that I, HENRY LEEPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Ring-Divider, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ring-dividers, and has for one object to provide a divider which is extensible in length and applicable to rings of different sizesl employed in or about harness at any point Where the reins, lines, or otherstraps pass through the harness ringsor loops, the invention being designed to hold the lines, reins, or straps straight and effectually prevent them from becoming twisted and also prevent the buckles on'same from drawing back through the rings. able horsemen to see that the lines are straight by looking along the same to the ring or terret through which the lines pass-.when snapping the reins or lines into engagement With the bridle, for examplethereby saviugthe trouble and annoyance of readj usting the lines. By the construction hereinafter described the divider is applicable to rings of varying sizes and may be employed in connection With the rings of a harness already in use, thus avoiding the necessity of manufacturin g the rings with the divider attached. Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined description.

-The invention consists in a ring-divider embodying certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective View of a terret-ring with the divider applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the divider detached from the ring. Fig. 3 is a section through the ring anddivider associated.

Similar nu merals of reference designate correspondingparts in all the figures of the drawings.

zrIhe ring-divider is adapted to be applied.

to any harness-ring and for the purpose of illustration is shown as applied to a terret, (indicated at l.) l

y The divider proper comprises three members-a main or intermediate member 2 and terminal members 3 and 4. The intermedi- This will en- 1 ate member 2 is in the forln of a cylindricall a smooth shank 9, which is rotatably mounted` l in the smooth portion 8 of the opening. The member -3 is also `provided With'a head 10, the

outer engaging face of which is concaved, asshown at ll, to conform approximately to the cross-sectional curvature of the ring 1. The other terminal member 4 is provided with a threaded shank l2, whichengages the opposite end of the longitudinal openingin the member 2, said portion of the opening being internally threaded, as at 13. Said terminal member 4 is also provided with a head 14:, the outer faceofwhich is concaved, as shown at 15, in al manner similar to the irst-named head and for the same purpose. p Both heads terminate at the point of junction with their respective shanks in transverse shoulders 16, and the shoulder of the terminal member 3 is designed to bear at all ti mes-against and form a seat for the adjacent end of the intermediatememberorsleeve2. Thetran'sverseopening in the sleeve admits of the insertion 0fapin or other suitable implement for turning said sleeve and advancing the threaded ter` minal member against and in binding con-f' tact with thei'nner surface of the terret or ring 1.

By means of the construction above dea scribed it will be seen that the ring-divider is extensible in length, thereby adapting it to v rings of different sizes. Preparatory to applying the divider to a ring the sleeve'is rotated so as to shorten the divider. The divider is then inserted diametrically in the ring and the sleeve turned in the proper direction for forcing outward the threaded head or ter= minal part until it cornes in firm contact and engagement with the ring at a point diametrically opposite to the other terminal part or head, whereupon the divider will be retained firmly in place. The reins or lines are passed through the ring onopposite sidesof the di- IOO vider, and the latter acts to keep the lines separate and prevents them from becoming twisted upon each other in a manner that will be readily understood. This enables the lines or reins to be snapped into engagement with the bridle in the proper manner and obviates the necessity for readjusting the lines to the bridle, as by looking toward the terret or divided ring it may be readily seen which line or rein should be attached to lthe adjacent side of the bridle.

It is to be understood that thedivider may be used at other points and is not limited in its application to terrets alone; also, that the divider may be manufactured in several different sizes, and that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantanges of the invention. Having thus describedmyinvention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secu red by l. The combination with a ring, of an extensible divider having heads frictionally engaging with the inner face of said ringat opposite points, and means for holding said divider in its extended condition within said ring, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a ring, of a sec tional divider comprising extensible members having heads engaging frictionally with the inner face of said, rings at diametrically-opposite points, and a coupling memberengaging With the extensible members for holding the same in alined relation and for positively adjusting and holding said headed members in rm engagement with the ring, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a ring, of a divider detachably mounted Within the ring and bearing at diametrically-opposite points against the inner surface thereof, said divider comprising a rotatable sleeve,and a pair of terminal members having concaved heads for engagement frictionally with the inner face of the ring at diametrically-opposite points, one of said members having a smooth shank journaled in one end of the sleeve, and the other member being provided With ashank havingascreW-threaded engagement with the sleeve, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a ring, of a divider removably itted therein, and comprising a sleeve having a longitudinal opening eX- tending therethrough, said opening being left smooth at one end of the sleeve and threaded at'the other, the sleeve being also provided with a central transverse opening intersecting the longitudinal opening, and a pair of terminal` members at opposite ends of the sleeve, each of said4 members comprising a concaved head, and a shank which enters the sleeve, the shankof one memberbeing smooth and the shank of the other member being threaded, the parts being combined and arranged for the concaved` heads ofsaid terminal members to engage frictionally with the inner face of the ring at diametricallyopposite points, substantiallyas and for the purposesl specified.

In testimonyI that I claim the foregoing as my own I have heretoraliixed my si gnature in the presence of two lwitnesses.

` HENRY LEEPER.-

Iitnessesr A. C. SHEPLEY,

XVM. CAsLEv. 

